Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 483 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

theater, and as I have seen but one there several times I thought that might be the reason for the hackmen not knowing that one of their number had been engaged by a young girl, they all being absent at the time. ‘‘So I picked out my man, told him my idea and offered to give him a twenty-dollar bill if he found the hack that the Flower Girl had hired. ‘‘The result was that when I came by the stand this morning, my man called to me, and pointed out a carriage near, saying: *** That’s the one.’ ‘*T paid him his pay, and walked over to the hackman, who was seated in his carriage read- ing a paper. ne You carried a young girl from here to the stage-door of the —— Theater, my then drove her home, waited for her, and again took her and her bag and baggage somewhere else? I said. ** He seemed surprised, and answered: A ‘I did, sir, and I guess there is no secret in “66 . Oh left her.’ ‘** At No. 100 East —— street.’ ‘**Thank you,’ and giving him some cigar money—” ‘Which he will spend for drinks,” said loxey. fe Doubtless, but I cleared my conscience of meanness, from having obtained a secret from him for nothing.” ‘*Did you go tothe number, Cap’n Billy?” ‘*No, but lam going now, and I wish you to accompany me.” ‘‘)’m ready,” and the two friends started on their errand. To find the number was an easy matter, but to find Flora the Flower Girl was another mat- ter, for the lady said she had only remained three days, and then paying her for the full week, had gone to Philadelphia. ‘** Did she leave any address in Philadelphia, madam?” asked the disappointed young cap- no, only I wished to find out where you tain. ‘‘No, but a telegram came to her after she left, and I opened it, as I did not know but it might be important, and need answering, and it gave her an address to go to in Philadelphia.” ** Do you mind telling me?” “T will get it for you,” and in a few minutes the lady returned with a telegram. It was addressed to “ Miss Flora Dale,” and the contents were: “T do not understand why you are coming here; but put up at the La Pierre House and I will call there for you,”’ There was no signature, but the telegram was enough to start on, and when the two youths left the house Wizard Will said: ‘“‘ You must go to Philadelphia, Foxey.” ‘6 Certain.” ‘You must play the young gentleman, dress up in your best, wear a red wig, bang it in front, part it in the center, put on eye-glasses, a standing collar, affect the boy swell and put up at the La Pierre, at the same time carrying various disguises in your trunk, for Flora‘s go- ing to Philadelphia leads me to believe the Land Sharks have gone there.” ** Likely.” ‘If you get news and need me, telegraph me at once, Se, send the message to Captain Daly’s, our quarters and my home, for I will be at one of the places within a few hours.” ‘Pll do it, Cap’n Billy; but did you notice that the lady asked who the girl was in monrn- ing for, and said that she was dressed in deep black?” “Yes, I noticed it, and supposed that it was worn as a disguise,” ‘Then I am to look for a girl in black” ‘Yes, Foxey, and luck to you.” Two hours after Foxey was on the train on his way to Philadelphia, and even Wizard Will would not have known him, so completely had he metamorphosed himself into a youthful dandy. CHAPTER XVIII. AN EAVESDROPPER, THE clerk béhind the office in the La Pierre House could hardly suppress a smile, when he saw a youth walk up to the register and ask in = affected way for a pleasant room for a few ys. The youth was, in appearance, what just now would be called a dude, and ’most any one would have mistaken him for an Off-shoot of wealthy rents, who wished to impress upon him the owledge that his brains were limited and his inheritance large. The Ferrets Afloat. He glanced over the register for several days back, and asked in a drawling tone: ‘*Is the lady who is down here as Miss Dale, New York, the actress of that name?” ‘**T cannot tell you, sir; but she is at present in the parlor, and you can see for yourself, if you know the lady you refer to.” ‘‘Ah, no, thanks. I merely asked, for I am from New York, you know—oh! number ninety- seven is my room, you say?” ** Yes, sir, and the boy will show you to it, now,” The youth followed the servant to the elevator, and was soon in a very delightful room, his trunk being immediately after brought in by the porter. Hardly had the porter left when Foxey heard man, and | the door of an adjoining room open and some one enter, ‘Strange that by accident I should get the room next to her, and that door opens between them,” said the youth. A moment after he said: ‘* Ah! she is not alone.” Just then a man’s voice said: ‘* Don’t be cross, Flo’, for I could not come be- fore, as I dared not leave my hiding-place; but who has the next room to you?” ‘Tt is a closet, not a room, for I never hear a sound from there,” answered a sweet voice. A quick step around the room and the youth heard hard breathing, as the man seemed to be trying to look through the key-hole, ‘*T guess you are right, Flo’, for all isdark, but I have to be very cautious, for that fool captain of ours came pretty near getting us all caught.” ‘* How so?” ‘‘A row between him and that devil, Wolf; but I don’t blame the captain for being mad, as Wolf tried to entrap and kill him, so he might be chief, and got him to go on a cruise.” ‘*T knew of this; but how did it terminate?’ ‘“Their yacht was run down and all were drowned, excepting Wolf and the captain, and they got into the life-boat,. ‘* But they fought it out there, and Wolf went overboard, and thought the captain did, too, while Elegant Ed was sure his Heutenant was drowned, ‘* Wolf found be was in shallow water and got ashore, and the captain drifted about in the boat, fi picked up by a fishing-smack and came on ere, ‘Wolf arrived half av hour before him, and they had it hot and heavy with swords, right in our quarters, and the captain ran him through the heart, and left the body for us to bury in the cellar; but we concluded to dump it into the river, and the two men carrying it were caught by the police and chased home, leaving Wolf’s body in the street, and we had just time to get out, losing all our booty and disguises, and so it took me some time to get rigged out again.” ** And the captain?” ‘‘ He's in New York, for he said he had some business there.” ‘Was there not a boy on the yacht when it sunk?” ‘Wolf said there was, one whom the cap- tain had kidnapped.” ‘‘What became of him?” ‘“ He went down with the yacht.” ‘“* He did not.” ‘* What, Flo’?” ‘T say he did not.” ‘‘ How do you know?” “T saw the boy in New York several days ago, and he is one I had in my employ in the flower store; but he came there as a detec- tive.” | ‘The deuce! how were you so deceived?” “That boy would deceive any one; but I liked him, and was drawn toward him in a way that I could not account for.” ‘¢ And you saw him in New York lately?” “T did.” “Since the loss of the yacht?” ‘Yes, and knowing that he would track me to find the captain, I gave him the slip.” ‘You did well; but what brings you to Phil- adelphia?” “No have a talk with you.” “What about?” ** Myself.” ‘Vou had better have stayed in New York.” ‘“‘T think differently.” ‘Well, out with it, girl.” “Will you answer me truly?” ‘¢ Did I ever lie to you?” “T do not know, and it is to find out if you have that I have come here.” ‘“What do you wish to know?” ‘Ts this a likeness of my mother?’ and she held out a miniature pamting set in gold, 1L 10 46 ** When did she die?” ‘When you were five years old, or about that.” ‘‘ Are you my father?” ‘*Of course I am.” ‘**T do not believe you.” “Why not?” ‘**T feel that you are not.” Why?” % Well, I cannot tell the reason, but somehow my heart tells me that not one drop of your blood flows in my veins,” ‘Girl, you are wild,” ** I so believe,” ‘* Have I not treated you well?” ‘Yes, you have given mea good education,, reared mé as a lady, I have had plenty of fine clothes and jewelry, you have been generous in letting me have ait the money I needed and al- lowed me to have my ways but I have never held affection for you, as could not love one I deemed a villain,” ** Filo’!” ‘*T have known of the criminal life you led for a year past, since I overheard you talk with the captain, and I have wanted to run awa from you; but I would not betray you, thoug Il knew all, and could have hanged every man of the Land Sharks’ band. ‘*{ would not do that, and so tolerated you, hoping some day to be free from you, ‘** Now Iam older, and I will no longer serve: you, or be a foil to save you; so 1 will go my way; but before I do I wish toknowif you have» not deceived me in saying that you were my father?” ‘Girl, you have suddenly become a woman, and but for the secret I hold over you, you would be a dangerous one,” ‘* What secret do you hold over me?” ‘‘'Your parentage.” ‘‘Thank God! you are not then my father?” **T am not,” ‘Who are my parents?” ‘‘That is a secret 1 will make known only on conditions,” was the reply of the man, and thee dude in the next ‘room scarcely dared draw a long breath, for he had heard every word that had been said. CHAPTER XIX, CONNECTING LINKS. For a moment after the voice of the man in the adjoining room had said he would make known his secret to Flora the Flower Girl on certain conditions, a silence fell between them. Lying upon the floor, his ear to the crack under the door—for the key-holes were closed up —the occupant of the next room waited as pa- tiently as an Indian might have done, to hear’ more, Presently the girl spoke, and she said in alow,. distinct voice: ‘‘ What are your conditions, sir?” “To tell you the secret of who you are?” sé Yes.” ‘‘T wish a large sum of money.” ‘‘T have saved upa considerable sum from what you have given me, and I made money in the flower-store while I was there; so I have: nearly two thousand dollars, and I will give you all except a few hundreds to live on until I cam get employment.” The man laughed, and the girl said: ‘‘T have nothing more, except m sewer ys ‘Bah! it is but a dropin the hickets or I wish a couple of hundred thousand.” ‘‘ Don’t trifle with me, sir!” ‘*T do not intend to; but if you can get a for- tune through me, will you give me one-third of it?” ‘* Certainly.” ‘¢ Will you sign papers to that effect?” “T will.” ‘Will you keep it secret that you do give me the money, and not let any one know other than what I tell you to?” ‘*T will.” ‘You will swear to this?” Yes," 7 Well, Flo’, you are not my child, as I said.” ‘Tam very happy in knowing this.” ‘‘-Your parents are dead, and they died when you were but five years old,” “* Fea." ‘They were very rich, and they left their for- tune, fully a millon, equally between you and: your brother.” ‘My brother?” ‘¢-Yes, for you had a twin brother.” ‘“‘ Ah me! it seems now as though I remembey him.” ; * apy -books.com ae =, Tere a. ae ie (sal ; ‘a